Political Science and Liberal Arts Education in Washington

One of the most important decisions you can make when choosing a college or university in Washington to study for your political science degree is making sure to select one that is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Checking the accreditation status of any college or university may be accomplished by going to the U.S. Department of Education accreditation database. Once you have selected your school, examine the requirements of its political science department and the majors and degrees offered to ensure that they fit with your ultimate career goals.

If you would like to pursue a legal career, for example, you might want to combine a political science degree with a pre-law program. If communications is an interest, perhaps you should combine a political science major with a broadcast or communications concentration or minor. Is international security an interest of yours? If so, be sure to choose a college or university that specializes in these types of courses. Would you like to study the political economy of the United States or of the world? This, too, is an option at many Washington colleges and universities that offer political science degrees. Choose wisely and you will be well prepared for any political science career you undertake after graduation.

Political Science Careers in Washington

According to the Washington Employment Security Department Workforce Explorer, government employment accounted for the majority of employment in Washington in the third quarter of 2010. Over 510,000 Washingtonians were employed by the federal, local or state government, accounting for 17.9 percent of all employment in the state. Chances are, political science careers are well represented within the government industry. Within state government alone, political science lends itself well to careers in media and communications, economic development, public administration, executive management, human resources, legal, information technology, management, public relations, and statistics departments and agencies.

The government is not the sole employer for those with political science degrees in Washington, however. Private corporations like forestry products company Rayonier, Inc. in Olympia employ political science majors in governmental relations and legal positions. Grassroots organizations like CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) in Seattle employ political science majors in advocacy and directorial positions. Union groups such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Seattle utilize political science graduates in managerial positions. Consulting firms such as GCC Consulting in Olympia employ political science graduates in a variety of capacities. Computer and information technology companies like Microsoft in Redmond and Kronos in Seattle may employ political science graduates in domestic and international governmental relations positions.

How to Become a Politician in Washington

The Washington Secretary of State's office offers much information for prospective candidates for public office on its website. Virtually any question you may have about candidacy for elected office may be answered here. Topics include how to get on the ballot, frequently answered questions, a list of candidates who have filed for recent elections, offices currently open for election, descriptions of elected offices and more.

Filing for elective office is made quite simple by the Secretary of State's online filing procedure. This allows a candidate to file his or her Declaration of Candidacy completely online. Online filing is available only for the following elective offices: U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, multi-county State Senator, multi-county State Representative, Supreme Court Justice, multi-county Court of Appeals Judge and multi-county Superior Court Judge. Contact your county's Board of Elections if you wish to file for another office. As long as you are registered to vote in your district, provide your email address, and can pay your filing fees online via credit or debit card, you may file candidacy for the above offices online.